Safe
by Fox Moonshadow
Summary: Wounded and alone, her mind wonders home. Mild WilyKitxLion-O. Rated for safety.


WilyKit shivered hard, curling into a tight circle while cradling her broken right arm. She felt so helpless. Looking back, it really had been a pretty stupid idea to go out Space Board ridding with the wind blowing so hard. She'd been blown off course and hit a rock, her board shattering on impact. She'd tried to find shelter, but that was when the rain had started, cold and hard mixed with sleet. The dirt hill she'd been on had quickly turned to mud, making her slip and fall. A vine had caught her arm than, snapping it easily. After some time wondering about in a daze, she'd slid on more mud and fallen into a small cave. Thankfully, she'd had the sense to just stay put. Her soaked and partially frozen clothes and fur offered no warmth tonight. She could only hope the others would find her, but in this weather the chances were slim, especially since she hadn't told anyone she was leaving. Not even WilyKat knew. A violent fit of coughs shook her small frame. When they subsided she groaned, pain and cold depressing her.

As she lay there, her thoughts turned to the day they'd first left Thundera. Jaga hadn't told the kittens, numbered three at the time, why they were leaving. They only knew they were going on a trip. Lion-O, still her age at the time, had spent the whole day trying to get her alone. He'd finally succeeded just before they boarded, while WilyKat was helping Tygra with something or other. He'd pulled her aside, and she'd waited patently while he tried to speak. In the end, he'd just held out a small flower for her, similar to the roses on Third Earth. They had both been blushing by then, and she'd hidden the flower in her pouch before her loud-mouth brother could see it. The dream had become a nightmare when they'd woken up from their artificial slumber to find he'd aged while she had not. He had still tried to pursue her, but she had turned him away. The age difference was to much now.

Thunder suddenly filled the air. WilyKit opened her eyes, realizing that she must have dozed off, or perhaps simply fainted. The cave she'd taken shelter in was beginning to fill with water, a small waterfall flowing at the entrance. She knew she would drown if she didn't find higher ground, but she just couldn't make herself move. She didn't have the strength, or the will. Tears filled her eyes as she rolled onto her back, broken arm lain delicately beside her. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. She slowly closed her eyes, giving up, and willed herself to die. Her ears twitched slightly when a voice cut through the noise of the storm. It was a familiar voice, but she couldn't place it. Her mind had become groggy. She knew her time had come. The voice called again, calling for her. She opened her eyes, part of her hoping they would rescue her, but most of her just wishing they would leave her be. She was torn and uncertain. She tried to call out, but her voice had abandoned her. Her vision was beginning to fade. She thought she saw a figure at the cave entrance. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision. As the figure came into focus, she saw a Thunderian cub her age with solid red hair and golden fur. "L-Lion-O?" She whispered, reaching for him with her good hand. The image slowly faded as she lost consciousness again, falling into the welcome, warm darkness of eternal slumber.

I 

WilyKit slowly began to stir. No one noticed at first. She opened her eyes slowly, but her vision was black. Her eyes were clear and dull and useless. She heard them though. Soft, whispered voices not meant to be heard by any but the two they belonged to. "Her fever broke last night. We'll know soon, but I doubt she'll be completely unharmed by the experience. If nothing else, she'll likely be traumatized."

"Yes, I know. Even if the physical damage heals, the mind can never recover from something like this." WilyKit tried to identify the voices, but couldn't even determine their gender. She closed her eyes, trying to think back, but her mind was blank. What experience were they talking about? Did she know them? The more she thought, the more jumbled her mind became. After a few seconds, her thoughts turned to herself. With a jolt, she realized she didn't even remember herself. There was one memory clear in her mind. A young lion cub giving her a small flower, only to vanish a second later. Had he been a phantom? Had she imagined him? She wished she knew. For now, the important thing was to find out who she was and where she was. She groaned, trying to sit up. The action brought the two whisperers attention to her. She felt something gently brush against the side of her face. It startled her, making her jerk away.

"WilyKit? Can you hear us?" She slowly opened her eyes, trying her very hardest to see them, but her world remained dark and desolate.

"WilyKit?" She flinched at the sound of her own voice, rough with disuse. Her throat burned when she spoke, but she needed answers. "Is she me?" There was a pause.

"Yes. You are WilyKit, our friend." She turned her head towards the voice, straining her ears and trying to recognize it. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I saw a cub." She whispered, closing her eyes and grasping her only memory like a mental lifeline. "He gave me a flower." Another pause. Soft taps sounded below her. Footsteps, maybe? Or rodents crawling around beneath the floors. A swish sounded nearby, than another. Seconds stretched into minutes. The gentle thing brushed against the side of her face again. She didn't flinch away this time, concentrating on the lion's features. Trying to remember who he was. A few minutes passed, than two more swishes sounded, followed by more taps.

"How is she?" It was a new voice this time. She almost knew it. It was comforting, though the tone sounded worried.

"Better, but we may have found a problem. Her memory's been erased, at least as far back as before we came here." Silence. The gentle feeling left as more taps sounded. Than she felt something else, a soft pressure on her cheek.

"WilyKit?" It was the new voice again. It sounded young. She opened her unseeing eyes, realizing they likely hadn't noticed her second problem. "WilyKit, do you know who I am?" She tried her best to search her memories, but again came up empty, save for that lion cub and the flower.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, lifting her left hand weakly. She felt something soft beneath her palm, than felt something cover her hand. She smiled, realizing the mysterious person was holding her hand in place. "I can't remember. Please, can you turn a light on so I can see you?" She knew they could see her. There must have been lights on. Silence followed. She felt something wet touch her fingers.

"She's blind." The first voice whispered. WilyKit's smile fell.

"It's okay, WilyKit. We're here for you. We'll help you." The third voice said gently. Somehow, she just knew she could trust him. "Do you feel well enough to stand?" She shook her head slowly, stopping when the motion made her mildly nauseous.

"Sick." She whispered, closing her eyes and falling back into a deep sleep.

I 

The next time she woke, she felt much better. There was a slight weight on her chest. She opened her eyes, still unseeing, and tried to look around. "Is anyone there?" She whispered, her throat burning and crying for drink. Her voice sounded rougher than before. The weight left her chest, she heard the taps again and knew this time they were footsteps. After a few seconds they returned and someone lifted her head from her pillow. A smooth, cool surface touched her lips, and cool water flowed into her mouth. She drank thankfully, licking her dry lips when the water was gone. "Thank you. That's much better."

"Of course." She frowned. She hadn't heard this voice before, but she still knew it.

"Please. Who are you, and do you know who I am and where we are?" She asked, sitting up slowly. She was glad when the sickness didn't return and she seemed strong enough to stay up.

"I am Lion-O, we have known each other most of our lives." WilyKit looked in the direction the voice was coming from. She felt her only surviving memory tugging at her.

"You were the cub that gave me the flower?" She hadn't meant to sound uncertain, she knew it had to have been him, but he sounded so old and she felt so young.

"Yes, that was me. That was just before we were forced to abandon our old home and come to live here." Lion-O said. WilyKit could feel him gently caressing her back. A soft purr escaped her throat. "To answer your other questions, you are WilyKit. You are a young ThunderCat, sworn to protect the innocent. We are in our new home, the Cat's Lair, on Third Earth. I wish I knew what had happened to put you in such a state, but no one even knew you were gone for some time. You left without telling anyone. I felt something was wrong, and when I checked your room you weren't there. I searched for you, but by the time I found you it was almost to late." Minutes passed in silence. WilyKit tried to piece together this new information, and Lion-O waited patiently while she did so.

"Lion-O. I don't remember much, but I know one thing for certain." She whispered at last. "You make me feel safe. Please, stay with me."

"Of course." He whispered, gently kissing her forehead. She giggled softly as he pulled her into a soft hug, nuzzling his strong chest happily, purring again. She knew than, even if she never reclaimed her lost memories, she could start anew, so long as she had Lion-O by her side.

The End


End file.
